


Favourite

by yeaka



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: M/M, Star Trek Beyond, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-07
Updated: 2016-08-07
Packaged: 2018-07-29 21:21:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7700107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bones not seeing the writing on the wall brings it to light.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Favourite

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rosslyn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosslyn/gifts).



> A/N: Fill for Rosslyn’s “Anyone else noticed how Jim chose to beam Spock up first? Cue convo that prolly happened: "You chose to save me first, Captain." Jim (uncomfortable, rubbing his neck) "Ahhh... Bones won't mind?" (Bones in the background: why yes I do you two dimwits) would love if can have a Drabble about that” request on [my tumblr](http://yeaka.tumblr.com/post/148575461000/beyond-feels-anyone-else-noticed-how-jim-chose-to). ...I’m pretty sure I botched this, and I can’t remember the film details, but uh... I tried/sorry? ^^;
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own Star Trek or any of its contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

There’s only one day left of their shore leave by the time Jim manages to get all three of them together again. Spock has _other_ relationships. Bones has been... difficult. Trying to pry him away from Spock to talk to him alone has proved even harder, even though, last time Jim checked, _he_ was Bones’ best friend. Usually, Bones would be jumping to go out with Jim and tease about bringing ‘the hobgoblin’ along.

This time, Bones arrives late, sidling wordlessly up behind Jim at the counter as though Jim doesn’t have his gate memorized. Abandoning some playful banter with the lone barista on the til, Jim turns to wrap Bones in a bear hug with the sort of lightening-fast reflexes he’s been trained for and his doctor friend hasn’t. Bones is too slow to dodge, and instead just grunts in irritation and squirms in Jim’s grip. Jim flattens them together and tightens his hold, until Bones grumbles, “Alright, I get it, I get it—you missed me—now let me goddamn breathe again!”

So Jim detracts with a grin and flashes a Vulcan salute at Spock instead of another too-emotional embrace. Now matter how much he’d like to crush their bodies together. Spock returns the gesture with a completely neutral demeanor.

And Jim turns to the barista again, ordering, “One banana smoothie for my friend—”

“Of course you’re ordering for _him_ first,” Bones grunts. Jim turns around to give Bones a _look_ , but he just scowls back.

“What’s your problem?”

“What’s _your_ problem?”

“And you call _me_ the kid.” 

Bones’ glare increases tenfold, and Jim rolls his eyes and goes back to the order. “An Andorian caramel mocha for me, and ice coffee for my friend with the anger problem.”

“Why you—”

“Gentlemen,” Spock interrupts, nodding to a table over by the window. “I suggest we take our seat while we wait for our drinks to be made.”

With an exasperated sigh, Jim takes the barista’s terminal to pass over the credits while Spock sweeps Bones off to a table. He flashes her a smile after, but all the interest is off her face, and he can’t blame her—he wouldn’t want to get involved in his current mess of a friendship threeway either.

The café’s mostly empty, it being one of those awkward in-between-meal times, and Spock’s chosen a particularly isolated spot. Jim slips onto the wooden bench beside him, only for Bones to accuse, “Oh, and you take his side!”

It takes Jim one baffled minute to realize that Bones doesn’t mean a metaphorical argument’s side but Spock’s physical bench. Before Jim can say how absurd a thing to complain about that is, Spock answers levelly, “Now you are merely compiling coincidences.”

“Like hell I am!” Bones grumbles, attention diverting to Spock. “How can you not see this? You get your order first, you get your side of the bench, you get to go on that god-awful report—”

“—You made it clear that you did not wish to accompany us for—”

“—And you goddamn got rescued first!”

Jim blinks at Bones. Then at Spock. But Spock’s closed his mouth. At least now Jim knows what this is really about. 

Spock looks sideways at Jim, his outward expression utterly flat but the depth in his eyes betraying curiosity. Jim could punch Bones right in the mouth for bringing all that up.

While Jim sits there, meeting Spock’s gaze in a heated staring contest that’s probably just making Bones’ blood boil worse, the barista comes to slip their drinks onto the table. Bones snatches his up and slumps back in his seat like a left-out child or the obvious third wheel. 

Spock finally breaks the silence. “Captain... may I ask how you did arrive at such a choice?”

No. Because their situation’s still too complicated to do anything about it. He thinks Spock made up with Uhura, but he usually tries not to look at that. Even if they were over, he’d give Spock a bit more time before explaining how fast his instincts leapt to protect _Spock_. The other little things weren’t even conscious decisions. Maybe he really just has his First on the brain even more than he thought. He thinks of pointing out that Spock was injured, but Spock will question how he knew of that at the time. So instead he scratches the back of his neck and looks aside, trying, “I, uh... figured Bones wouldn’t mind?”

Across the table, he can feel Bones boring a hole into his head. But, surprisingly, Bones doesn’t jump in with more complaints. Jim takes a sip of his overtly sugary drink, with that slight spice all Andorian blends have, mainly just to stall.

Spock starts, “Captain...” but trails off. Jim looks over at him. They share another one of those looks that makes him feel like Spock’s reaching right into his chest and wrapping long fingers around his heart. He cares a great deal about Bones too, of course, but that’s friendship—intense, strong-for-life friendship, and with Spock, it’s...

“You two need a room?” Bones grunts, and Jim looks back at him, a little startled.

The anger’s slipped right off Bones’ face, and he shrugs his shoulders, looking thoroughly begrudging but muttering, “Alright, I forgive you, but only because this proves you don’t think pointy’s better than me, you’re just delusional.”

Somehow it’s so much easier to say to Bones, voice laced with platonic teasing, “You know I love you.”

Bones rolls his eyes. It’s easier if Bones knows anyway. Now if only Spock would pick up all the obvious clues to his captain’s preference. But Spock just keeps staring at Jim as though they’re the only two beings left in the universe, while Bones gathers up his coffee and climbs out of his seat.

When Bones has left the café, Spock begins anew, “Jim. I...”


End file.
